Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-02-13
PLENTY OF SPRUCE GUM YET

PLENTY OF SPRUCE GUM YET.
The Fragrant Product OF the Eastern For
ests Stm q Source of Pleasure and Profit
Nor York Sua.
''while in the main the article in q re-
cent issue Of the SIN on p~arafine chewing
gum was correct" said n manufacturer Of
gum in this city, st is not correct that the
petroleum refuse has driven all other pro-
ducts in that line out of the market The
supply of natural gum is still very large,
and would he still larger if it were not
that the spruce forests where il Is contained
have been 80 thinned out by the inroads Of
the lumbermen that the gum gatherer
cannot obtain the quantities that he could
in former years. One of the principal occu-
pations in Bennington, VT, is the deal
ing in spruce gum, and Belfast, Augusta
and other places in Maine rake an i'm:
portant item Of this produc. in their trad
ing.
at is no thing 10 see men,
and children coming into these
places laden with all they can carry Of the
aromatic spruce gum, and why shouldn't
they? Ii Is worth TO them 81 n pound In
cash. Some men will bring ON their hacks
as much as 200 pounds of the material, all
ready TO be put in form for the mouths OF
those who like it. Dealers in Augusta say
that the retail trade in spruce gum in that
city along foots up over 5000 a year.
The largest spruce gum dealer in the world
is in Bennington. He handles between
1900 and 1900 pounds a year He en-
ploys not less than seventy-five persons 10
collect gum for him in the season, which is
from October 10 June. The business eau
not be carried on in the summer, IS the
hot weather causes the gum 10 run togeth-
er and form in masses nat impair its ap-
p~earance and cause il 10 deteriorate in
value.
Spruce gum is obtained in the forests
of Canada, Maine, New Hampshire and
Vermont. The gum gstherers 20 many
miles into the forests, erect rude cabins,
and each one remains until he has gath
cred one hundred pounds. He carries it
home, where the women and children
cleanse the gum from all its impurities,
such rs bark, twigs, and other foreign sub
stances, and sort il into different grades,
all of which are known even by the young
est child in the business. Ii is a big days
work for a woman to clean and sort ten
pounds. While the household is cleansing
his collection the gum gatherer returns to
to the woods and works until he has Sc
cured another batch, and getting it is not
easy or rapid work. The gatherer goes
through the woods looking at the virgin
spruccs. When the gum that forms on the
outside Of the trees is once removed the
tree will never again yield enough TO make
it worth the while Of the gatherer TO visit
il. So he must hunt out the trees that
have escaped the notice OF his class during
all the years the woods have been searched
by them. The gum gatherer carries q
stout pole, which is in sections, like a
iointed fishing rod. At one end Of the
pole is a chisel fitted snugly to the wood.
Beneath the chiScl is a cup holding prob.
ably half a pint. When the glthercr dis
covers a mass Of gum on a tree, no matter
how high il may be, he runs his chisel up
against il and cuts 1t al, when it falls into
the cup. II is then placed in an oiled bag
which is slung across the back of the
catherer. This arduouS work continues
without cessation during the months men,
toned, and 81 slow is the accumulation OF
the gum by the collector, ordinarily, that
he considers himself fortunate if he gathers
n hundred pounds a month.
Boston chews more spruce gum than
any other place in the country, and dealers
say that Chicago consumes the next largest
quantity. The great supply is obtained i'll
Bennington ~ q centre, but the small lum-
herring villages of Maine send enormous
quantities to market. The lusty young
aNemen or logger of the Maine lumber
camps never returns home FROM the woods
without fetching with him a large limp Of
the choicest spruce gum he eau collect ~ a
gift TO his sweetheart, and his coming
with the offering is anNiously awaited by
her, rs next to him she loves the fragrant
resin of the spruce. The lover who should
fail Ia pay this homage TO his fair lady
would he hooted out OF the Maine lumber
woods as a man unworthy of trust, 10 say
nothing OF the affection, of the gentle sen.
They have in these isolated villages a
pastime which they call the 'yanking bee
which requires great tenacity Of jaw and
power of endurance 10 enjoy. A yanking
bee is n gathering Of young people who
meet for the avowed purpose q. yanking or
chewing spruce gum. The fun Of the
party consists in chewing the gum in rs
large 'gohs' rs the mouth can hold, and Nc
company ing the performance with a. loud
a noise as the lips can make while the
chewing is going on. 4 large lump of
prime spruce gum is the prize which the
person who chcws the longest and the
loudest will win. After the yauk is over,
the fiddler comes in, and daylight comes
before the festivities of the bee are over.
Spruce gum, they assert in Maine and
other numbering States. Possesses great
medicinal properties, and they also say
there is nothing like il for indigestion and
disOrdered stomach. That is a mere mat
ter of opinion, and il rather doubtful.
Lunlbermcn say that in ten years there
will he no more spruce gum gathered for
market because there will be no more 10
gather. At the present time, however,
you may set it down a. a fact that there is
still plenty o fgenuine nnadulterated spruce
gum sold To CONSUMERS"
Illustrating the Short Haul Principle.
Chicago Hrrnld.